Interviewed by Elena Sosa Lerin for ROKon Magazine (Seoul, South Korea), 2007.
ROKon: State your name.
accomplice: accomplice.
ROKon: Where are you from?
accomplice: I was born in Toronto, and grew up just outside of the Greater Toronto Area. In 1997, I moved to Montreal and lived there until I eventually moved to Seoul.
ROKon: How long have you been in Korea?
accomplice: It was a dark and stormy night, August 16th, 2004 at 03:00 am, via a ridiculous flight from Toronto to New York to Anchorage to Taipei and finally to Seoul.
ROKon: Talk about your first experience as a DJ at a club.
accomplice: I was living in Montreal and had been spinning at friends’ house parties and in my bedroom for a short while when my roommate at the time began to incessantly ask me for assistance whenever he did his live PA at his weekly residency. It started out small, with him asking if he could borrow an adapter, or a piece of equipment that I had, and later, involved me carrying said equipment to the club.
Eventually, I suppose that he figured out that I wasn’t going to continue to be his lackey without some sort of compensation, so he graciously asked me if I would like to spin in between the residents’ sets the upcoming Saturday. Elated, of course I said yes and spent the rest the week practicing for my big break. At time time I had yet to even choose a genre in which to focus, but I nevertheless organized a comprehensive set out of my eclectic collection that in retrospect was probably absolutely terrible.
On the eve of the big day, I found out from a friend that my roommate had actually not cleared it with the promoter to find out if it was okay if I spin. Not wanting to show up with a bag full of records looking like a chump, I left them at home but I nevertheless went to the club to support my friend.
The dance-floor was bumping as my roommate played, but as his set was coming to the end of his allotted time, he became aware that the next dj was nowhere to be found. My roommate turned to me and said, “Grab your records and get on.”
As I had no records to grab, the manager of the club (who I later learned was none other than DJ Mini) thought that she was being helpful when she gave me her record bag. I apprehensively accepted them and hesitantly stepped behind the turntables. With a packed dance-floor and my roommate’s last track coming to an end, I grabbed the first record in the bag and laid it on the platter. With my suddenly stricken palsied hands I clumsily clutched the tone-arm all too aware that, not only did I not know what this record sounded like, I did not even know what genre it was. My roommate’s track ended, I dropped the needle and… the dj who was supposed to play tapped me on the shoulder and said, “I’ll take over from here, mate.”
Probably a tad too graciously, I stepped down from the decks, swept the sweat from my brow and handed the record bag back to the manager. She said that it was too bad that I did not get a chance to play but if I wanted another opportunity I should pass her a mixtape. I said that I would do just that and started to walk away. The manager then said, “Oh, by the way, what’s your dj name?” I looked over at my roommate who was slowly packing up his gear and said, “accomplice.” “Cool name,” came the reply, to which I had to agree.
ROKon: Who were some of your influences when you started DJing? What motivated you to become a DJ?
accomplice: In 1992, I once found myself seated in the basement of Jasper Gahunia aka Lil’ Jaz as he practiced for an upcoming dj battle. I was astounded by the ease at which he manipulated the turntables; my jaw practically dropped to the floor as he took a single tone and merely by using the pitch control made the melody line from Dr. Dre’s “Nuthin’ But A G’ Thang”. Jasper later went on to win several dj battles (both ITF and DMC) and following a stint with Nelly Furtado, is now doing production work for K-OS.
I had been listening to strictly hip hop since 1986 (my first tape being Run DMC “Raising Hell” purchased at A&A Records and Tapes in my suburban town mall), and was well versed in the incredible skills of djs such as Jazzy Jeff (whose “transformer scratch” recorded and performed live at Union Square in 1986 still boggles my mind), but it was not until I witnessed the art-form up close and performed by someone who was not just a name written on a tape insert, that I realized that it was something that I wanted to do myself.
Unfortunately, at the time I was also somewhat misdirected. Shortly thereafter my father bought me a mixer from Radio Shack and I was well on my well to… sell it to a friend. I cannot recall what I did with the money, so it was most likely used for something stupid, but the person who I sold it to is now a very successful post-production sound engineer in Hollywood, California (I would like to think that he has me to thank for that). I harbour very few regrets in life, but I sometimes I wonder how different my life would be had I started spinning when Lil’ Jaz first showed me how it is done.
ROKon: What about today?
accomplice: Today I am most heavily influenced by the immediate members of the Korean arm of the Breakbeat Massive crew, Mr. Fudge, Short Fiction, Makka, and Audio Tsunami, as well as the ever growing extended family, Audit, Mat The Alien, Myagi, Barry Ashworth, etc. As an artistic collective, we are forever pushing each other’s boundaries while playfully trying to one up one another. I can honestly say that I have never met another group of people who are so supportive. The Breakbeat Massive are the brothers that I never had, who offer the reassurance that I need to remind me that my labour of love is not purely self-indulgent.
ROKon: In your opinion, what are the best and the worst parts of being a DJ?
accomplice: The worst part about being a dj is being given a request. I cannot recall a disc jockey ever saying that they like to take requests and frankly as far as I am concerned, if there is one out there, they are doing a disservice to the rest of us.
Djing is an art-form. It is a presentation of uniquely repositioned soundscapes in order to create a mood or an ambiance. Said atmosphere is stereotypically but not necessarily dance-floor orientated (check out Kid Koala’s “Moonriver” beat juggle to witness the latter). The dj should be in full control and respected enough for his or her love of the craft that he or she has been hired to present. When a patron requests a track, what he or she is saying to the dj is that the dj’s knowledge of music, the countless hours that he or she has spent digging in the crates in search of that elusive golden tune, are worthless.
If you are not enjoying the music that the dj is playing, sit back, have a drink, chat with the person next to you, and wait it out. If you continue to not enjoy the music following an acceptable period of time, leave. To anyone who has ever requested a track at a club, I suggest that you just stay at home and listen to the abundance of music that you have probably illegally acquired via peer-to-peer pirated music sharing software. The dj is not a glorified jukebox, he or she is an artist.
The best thing about djing is making people dance. The best thing about being a producer/dj is making people dance to your own tracks.
ROKon: Why Seoulsounds?
accomplice: Because it is not O2pro.com. O2pro.com is the single most ridiculous forum that I have ever had the displeasure of browsing (and this is coming from a recovering forum junkie whose experience with forums pre-dates graphic interface Internet browsers).
ROKon: Talk about the genesis of this collective.
accomplice: The original members of the collective just so happened to also be the original members of the forum. The first party was a means to generate more interest in the forum, and so word was put out to all of the members at the time that if they wanted to be involved in said party, they should feel free to volunteer their time. A majority of those who did so already knew each other from elsewhere, and those who did not were made to feel welcome. Within the group of people, there was a core group who took charge and dedicated an overwhelming amount of time towards ensuring the Seoulsounds initial event be a success. I think that anyone who was there can attest to the fact that it was indeed so. Following the inaugural party, without any animosity or hard feelings, the core group was minimized to the current six. Though they were not necessarily a part of the pre-party preparations, some members of the original group helped out on the night of the party. Without question the party would not have been nearly as successful had these generous people not been there to help us out.
ROKon: How long has Seoulsounds been around?
accomplice: Since January 29th, 2007.
ROKon: What do you hope this collective will achieve?
accomplice: With no intention of disrespecting the other promoters out there, the members of Seoulsounds simply recognize both a lack and a potential in the Seoul electronic music community. All of the members of the collective are overwhelmingly passionate about music (almost to a fault) and also have a vested interest in helping Seoul’s electronic music community become respected globally.
Because for the most part the electronic music scene in Seoul has been imported by transient foreigners and globetrotting Koreans, it has come into fruition from the top down. Without the existence of a long standing underground community, the scene is only as good as its last party; a hotel party patronized by gawkers featuring a brand-name dj does not a healthy scene make. Without a strong foundation, the entire scene is fleeting, as goldfish swim to another pond and sheep graze in another pasture. It is the local djs, both Korean and foreign alike, who will be the catalysts towards an actualized and long-standing electronic music community… the collective would also like more people to dance; it is a safe and healthy means to a more enjoyable existence.
ROKon: Why did you join Seoulsounds?
accomplice: Having the experience of for several years consistently hosting successful bi-weekly events in Montreal inclined me to think that I had something positive to offer to the collective.
ROKon: What does it take to organize an event like the one that happened on August 11th?
accomplice: It takes the ability to give and to take, to balance responsibilities, to know when you need help, and to act on instinct. It also requires a much thicker skin than I can boast.
ROKon: What were the difficulties in organizing an event like this?
accomplice: The difficulties in organizing an event like this are many, but for the most part also par for the course in regards to being a foreign resident in Korea.
ROKon: What did you do to overcome these difficulties?
accomplice: We just did it anyway and hope that by leading by example we are building something positive that others will both recognize and respect.
ROKon: What did you like the most about that night? What didn’t you like at all?
accomplice: Because I was at the door the entire evening, it was not until we were no longer charging that I was able to spend a substantial amount of time in the actual room where the party was taking place. Thankfully I was able to catch Analog’s set; she is hands down my favourite dj in Seoul and the only dj who consistently makes me dance.
I did not like the way that some people were acting at the door (requesting free entrance and extra free drink tickets), but this all comes with the territory.
I liked that so many people seemed aware and sympathetic of the difficulties involved in hosting this event, and were appreciative of everything that the collective had to go through in order for the party to even occur. That is the proverbial “head nod” that makes it all worthwhile.
ROKon: What are some of the advantages of being a foreign DJ in Seoul?
accomplice: Spinning in Seoul has undoubtedly made me a better dj for no other reason than because, here I cannot get away with just playing for myself.
When spinning in both Canada and the United States I found that (with a few exceptions) regardless of where I was booked, I was pretty much playing for people with whom I shared at least somewhat of a similar background and understanding of the music that I was playing; there were always certain tunes that I knew would generate an appreciative response.
When spinning Seoul, the people in the club could be from anywhere, and chances are they have never heard anything like what I have a tendency to play. As it seems that I am the only one in the country who leans towards the style that I do and because I am suspicious of anything of which the masses approve, even those who frequent clubs here may not be familiar with what I play. As a result, I have to be very in tune with and aware of my audience; this is a skill that I should have been cultivating since my first set.
ROKon: What are some of the disadvantages of Djing in Seoul?
accomplice: As per Korea’s history with foreign nations, it is not entirely surprising that there is a great divide between Korean and foreign djs. Though there is some overlap, for the most part I get the impression that many Korean promoters and djs assume that the foreign djs are here with intentions of taking over and then (when their work visas lapse) take off.
I suspect and hope that with time this divide will dissolve, and I would like to think that Seoulsounds will have a hand in doing so. Of note, the djs with whom I closely associate all wish to help the scene flourish, and it is widely understood that in order for this to occur the idealistic tenets of rave culture of yore should be practiced.
ROKon: How do you feel about the current state of the scene in Seoul and where do you see it going?
accomplice: It is good, but it could always be better; you will never hear me cheerleading mediocrity.
ROKon: Anything else you’d like to add?
accomplice: To download accomplice’s sets and production, please visit: accomplicated.ca.
Love the haters because they will only make you greater.